Let's Have A War

With the eighth anniversary of the Iraq war just days away, we're itching for another place to bomb:

The United Nations Security Council voted Thursday to authorize military action, including airstrikes against Libyan tanks and heavy artillery and a no-fly zone, a risky foreign intervention aimed at averting a bloody rout of rebels by forces loyal to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi.

After days of often acrimonious debate, played out against a desperate clock, as Colonel Qaddafi’s troops advanced to within 100 miles of the rebel capital of Benghazi, Libya, the Security Council authorized member nations to take “all necessary measures” to protect civilians, diplomatic code words calling for military action.

Diplomats said the resolution — which passed with 10 votes, including the United States, and abstentions from Russia, China, Germany, Brazil and India — was written in sweeping terms to allow for a wide range of actions, including strikes on air-defense systems and missile attacks from ships. Military activity could get under way within a matter of hours, they said.

"All necessary measures" is code for another open ended conflict without specifically defined goals or a clear plan for winding down this conflict. With the recent history of the last ten years or so, we have absolutely no reason to believe or trust in the ability of our world governments, not the least of which the United States, to conduct armed conflicts responsibly or expeditiously. The damned UN resolution was essentially written to allow them to do whatever the fuck they want, apparently with the exception of ground forces, but there are always opportunities for that later.


So what is the plan exactly? We bomb the fuck out of their military and defensive infrastructure, declare mission accomplished and then just walk away? What happens when Qaddafi doesn't go peacefully, and we decide it's time for boots on the ground? Or better yet - what happens when we deem Qaddafi a Dangerous Lunatic that Must Be Stopped and that it's time for regime change?

What Qaddafi is doing is horrific and deplorable. But so were the actions of Saddam Hussein.